G-Shock's Latest is a Killer Katana-Inspired Watch
A good watch paired with the right outfit can make all the difference when it comes to confidence. Whether heading to the office or out for the night, the correct combination, or simply a watch that works with almost any outfit, is like a knight’s sword or a samurai’s katana. This is exactly the case with Casio's G-Shock MRG-B2000JS-1A.
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The MRG-B2000JS-1A is actually inspired by the forging of the Juryoku-Maru, an original sword commissioned by Casio for the MR-G line with a katana blade forged by master swordsmith Kamiyama Teruhira. Together with an aogai blue shell lacquer scabbard designed by traditional Japanese artisan Nomura Mamoru, they added the Japanese word for brilliant, San, to the sword’s name.
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Courtesy Image
The watch is dedicated to these traditional artisanal techniques, which are handed down over centuries. Made from recrystallized hybrid titanium, the bezel looks to evoke the pattern created by Teruhira and is crafted with layers of pure and Ti64 titanium that is cut, polished, and treated with a deep-layer hardening process to capture the pattern’s characteristics. Due to subtle differences in materials and processing conditions, as well as 燦 being hand-etched on the case back, each timepiece is completely unique.
Made from scratch-resistant titanium alloy DAT55G–which is three times harder than pure titanium–the bracelet features the aogai-nuri blue shell lacquer design by Mamoru, which adorns the Juryoku-Maru: San scabbard. Aogai-nuri refers to the mother-of-pearl inlay often found in Japanese sword sheaths. The band’s finish utilizes micro-level processing to create the iridescent colors reminiscent of the lacquer.
On top of its homage to swordsmanship and centuries old Japanese traditions, the MRG-B2000JS-1A provides everything else you would expect from a G-Shock, meaning, an ability to survive just about any condition and a ton of features. From Bluetooth for smartphone connectivity and a phone finder to the use of solar power for power generation to an internal malfunction alert. It offers 200 meters of water resistance and is also magnet and shock resistant.
Only 800 pieces will be released worldwide.
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